“Oh my gosh it’s Son Seungwan!”

Upon hearing her name, a slender figure bounced across the school courtyard, leaping into the arms of a slightly taller girl. Students passing by threw smiles and chuckles in her direction

“Yah, Seulgi ah ~!” She almost strangled the girl by the neck.

“Omo omo you’re heavy!” Seulgi pretended to choke.

“I missed school so much!” A puppy-eyed pout, “Especially you, my Seulgi bear.”

“Liar…” Seulgi scoffed but her arms were still around the campus idol’s waist.

“Yah!” Another voice yelled at them.

“Aigoo our cutie Joy!” Seungwan opened her arms to hug the tallest of them all.

“Everyone missed you but I missed you the most!” Joy tightened her hug, “You were gone too long, unnie.”

Seulgi is her absolute confident. The one she could share her worries with. On the other hand, Joy is her soft spot. The precious younger was her sunshine and energy pill during gloomy days. Together, the three of them had bonds that held a tight friendship.

“How was the stay at the hospital?” Joy asked seriously.

“What did the doctor say about the injury?”

“Hmm?” Seungwan answered with a light smile, “It’s fine. Spent like a couple weeks there to heal my head wound, but it wasn’t that major.”

“Really?” Joy placed a hand on Wendy’s cheek, “You do look better.”

“My mom was acting kind of strange though.”

“Define strange.”

“Well… for starters, I know there’s something she isn’t telling me.”

“Oh…” Seulgi cleared , “What could it be?”

Joy yawned, “Could we go grab something to eat first before class?”

“You pig!”

“Yah!!” Joy aimed a kick at Seulgi, “You bear!”

“Oh playing the animal farm game now huh?” Seulgi snickered, “Cow.” She pointed at Seungwan.

“Oh my god, you both are so dead!” She laughed while chasing them.

They ran and came to a stop in front of the water fountain which sat in the middle of another courtyard. The perimeter of the campus spreads quite vastly.

Joy was panting from all the running but laughing, “Seungwan unnie should be olaf because she’s as warm as that snowman.”

Seulgi burst into laughter, clapping her hands, “Olaf, that’s right!”

“Yah olaf unnie!” Joy called out, “Unnie!” she made a tsk sound before making her way over to the older girl, “Unnie, why are you spacing out?”

***

Balloons…

Balloons of every color filled the backdrop of the sunset…

I stared, mesmerized with nature at work.

“I... have something for you.” That voice like caramel...

I turned around curiously, watching her take something out of the box.

She held it up uncertainly with that shy smile.

A cross necklace with a locket.

“May I…” She began.

I saw the faint blush in her cheeks as she averted her gaze.

She had slipped her hands around me. It felt like a back hug when she leaned forward to clasp the strap. Her breath light against my ears.

“Do you like it?” She smiled, looking at the necklace, “It’s supposed to remind you of my presence everyday.”

***

“Unnie!”

“Seungwannie?”

Seungwan blinked and stumbled a few steps backwards, mouth opened. She stared at Joy and Seulgi. They were frowning and crouching down beside her.

“I…” She looked around herself and realized she had fallen onto the ground.

“Unnie, are you not feeling well?”

“N-No, I’m completely fine.” She clumsily clambered back to her feet, “I’m good!”

“Your face is pale. Let’s not go to class today. Seulgi unnie, I think I’ll bring Seungwan unnie home first.”

“Will you be alright taking her? It’s just I’ve got a project meeting later so…”

“We’ll be fine, don’t worry.” Joy patted Seulgi on the arm, “Take care. See you tomorrow, unnie.”

The route home was a rather silent journey. Joy had offered her arm as a support for Seungwan and the two strolled along with streets with comfortably intertwined arms.

“Unnie.”

“Hmm?”

“You sure you’re alright?”

“Of course.” Seungwan chuckled, pinching Joy’s nose.

“You know you kind of scared us earlier.”

“Was I that scary?” She grinned.

Joy cast a solemn eye to the latter, “I’m being serious, unnie. I was scared something would happen to you.”

Seungwan turned Joy around to face her, hands firmly on shoulders, “Listen.” Her brown orbs sparkled, “Nothing is going to happen to me. So don’t worry.”

Joy pouted.

“I promise. I’ll always be here.”

“That doesn’t count.”

“Hah? Why not?”

Joy broke her gloominess with a toothy grin, “Swear on it!”

“I have to swear to a monkey?”

“YAH.”

Seungwan giggled and pulled Joy close for a tight hug, “Why, is the monkey afraid I would be gone one day?”

Joy gulped, “Don’t joke like that, unnie.”

“I won’t break a promise.”

“Pinky swear on it.” She raised her last finger.

Still in their hug, Seungwan lifted her hand to cross fingers with Joy.

“Pinky promise.”